A Father's Mercies

Wednesday morning June 16th at 8:45 am my Dad passed away.  I was at camp with three of my best friends when I got the news.  Although Ann wasn't there (she was with her parents in NC), I felt the embrace of my dear friends in the moment when the grief was most heavy.  There are so many little mercies, graces I felt the Lord extended to me through this process, that have reminded me He is still in charge even in the storms of life.  I know this, and have seen this at work in the lives of others.  But it is still encouraging when I experience it personally.

Here are just a few small things . . .
-- The day Dad passed away just happened to be the only day of the week that Steve, Tessa, and Robbie were all three at the camp.
-- In addition, the disabilities group was later than expected, which gave them the time to be with me while not neglecting the service that day.
-- I was able to preach a revival at my home church just a week before Dad died.  In fact, Jon Ulm related to me those were the last three sermons Dad heard (he didn't make it to church last Sunday).
-- I was able to talk to Dad on Tuesday, the day before he passed.  In fact, he told me they had said he was going to be going home.  It turns out he was right, just not in the way he thought.
-- Mickey Derrow had already been scheduled to preach on Father's Day (the day after the funeral), so I didn't have to ask someone to preach for me at the last minute.
-- When a Survivor friend (Brett Bowers) expressed condolences, he did so by quoting Psalm 116:15, the very passage used in the sermon at Dad's funeral.  It is the only passage anyone has left.

There are more, but I want to make sure I write these down before I forget.  So many "unforgettable" memories are too easily lost.